Talk:Birth

USA Births: Final Data for 2006

• In 2006, the number of births and birth and fertility rates increased for nearly all age groups, live-birth orders, race, and Hispanic origin groups and reporting areas. In some cases, rates rose to levels not seen in three or more decades.
• A total of 4,265,555 births were registered in the United States in 2006, 3 percent higher than in 2005. This is the largest single-year increase in births since 1989 and the largest number since 1961. Births increased for all race and Hispanic origin groups between 2005 and 2006.
• The crude birth rate for the U.S. was 14.2 live births per 1,000 persons in 2006, up slightly from 2005. The general fertility rate was 68.5 births per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years, an increase of 3 percent over 2005 and the highest rate reported since 1991. Fertility rates for nearly all race and Hispanic origin groups increased.
• Birth rates increased for women of most age groups between 2005 and 2006. The only exceptions were the youngest mothers (under age 15 years) for whom the rate declined slightly, and mothers aged 45–49 years, for whom the birth rate was unchanged.
• The birth rate for teenagers 15–19 years increased 3 percent in 2006, interrupting the 14-year period of continuous decline from 1991 through 2005. Only the rate for the youngest adolescents declined in 2006, to 0.6 per 1,000 aged 10–14 years. Rates for teenagers 15–17 and 18–19 years rose 3 to 4 percent each. These increases follow declines of 45 and 26 percent, respectively, in the rates between 1991 and 2005. Between 2005 and 2006, birth rates increased 3 to 5 percent each for non-Hispanic white, non- Hispanic black, and American Indian or Alaska Native teenagers and 2 percent for Hispanic teenagers. The rate for Asian or Pacific Islander teenagers was unchanged. Teenage birth rates increased significantly between 2005 and 2006 in 26 states, representing nearly every region of the country.
• The first birth rate for women aged 15–44 years increased 3 percent to 27.4 births per 1,000 women. First birth rates increased for nearly all age groups.

Labor was induced for 22.5 percent of births in 2006, a slight increase over 2005, and double the rate for 1990. Induction rates are up substantially for all gestational ages, including preterm births, since 1990.

• The cesarean delivery rate rose 3 percent to 31.1 percent of all births, another record high. The cesarean rate has climbed 50 per­ cent since the 1996 low. Rates for primary cesareans were up and vaginal births after previous cesarean were down for both revised and unrevised reporting areas. Cesarean rates have risen at all gestational ages over the last decade.
• The preterm birth rate rose again in 2006 to 12.8 percent of all births. The percentage of infants delivered at less than 37 com­ pleted weeks of gestation has climbed 20 percent since 1990. Most of this rise is attributable to the increases in late preterm births (34–36 weeks), up 25 percent since 1990. Preterm birth rates rose slightly for Hispanic infants, but were unchanged among non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black infants. The singleton preterm rate also increased in 2006, to 11.1 percent. This rate has climbed 14 percent since 1990.
• The low birthweight (LBW) rate also continued to rise, climbing to 8.3 percent in 2006, the highest level in four decades. The percentage of infants born at less than 2,500 grams has risen 19 percent since 1990. All of the rise for 2005–2006 was among moderately LBW (1,500–2,499 grams) infants. LBW rates rose slightly for Hispanic infants, but were unchanged for non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black infants. The LBW rate for infants born in single deliveries also increased in 2006; singleton LBW has risen 10 percent since 1990.
• The rapid rise in multiple birth rates over the last several decades may have ended. The 2006 twin birth rate (32.1 twins per 1,000 births) remained essentially unchanged from 2005. The twin birth rate climbed 70 percent between 1980 and 2004. The triplet plus/+ birth rate declined 5 percent for 2005–2006, to 153.3 per 100,000 total births. This rate soared more than 400 percent between 1980 and 1998, but is down 21 percent since then.

Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Sutton PD, Ventura SJ, et al. Births: Final data for 2006. National vital statistics reports; vol 57 no 7. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2009. National vital statistics reports; vol 57 no 7 PDF

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